Quantification of Kaempferol Conjugates in Watercress Juice and Methanol Extract: A Study Using HPLC and Protein Binding

Flavonoids are a large group of biologically active polyphenolic compounds found in plants, that have gained importance in recent years due to their potential medicinal and therapeutic properties of high potency and low systemic toxicity. Kaempferol (3,4′,5,7- tetrahydroxyflavone) is a polyphenol antioxidant dietary flavonoid found in a variety of fruits and leafy vegetables, specifically vegetables of the Brassica family, which includes our subject vegetable, watercress (WC) which is usually grown in marshy lands. Kaempferol (KMP) has been depicted to have revolutionary attribute in overall human health ranging from anti-cancerous to anti-inflammatory properties. Here we show a novel approach for quantifying kaempferol and its derivatives in watercress juice (WC2) and methanol extract (WCM) using HPLC and protein binding studies. Human serum albumin (HSA) is chosen as the model protein

Referral Pathways and Service Connections Among Heirs’ Property Owners in South Carolina

Researchers, practitioners, and policymakers interested in alleviating heirs’ property ownership precarity have long sought to connect these owners to titling and land management resources, but there is limited scholarly evidence on successful interventions. Using administrative data from the Center for Heirs’ Property Preservation®(CHPP®), this article explores the demographic characteristics, types of direct legal services received, and referral pathways of landowners seeking legal assistance from CHPP® between 2017 and 2021. We find that applicants are primarily elderly, Black women, referred through four main pathways: (1) owners’ personal networks, (2) CHPP® outreach efforts, (3) CHPP® partner organizations—including public, private, and nonprofit agencies, and (4) word of mouth (other individuals/entities not formally connected with CHPP®, including outside legal and forestry professionals). Lastly, we identify a strong desire for estate planning amongst applicants, despite documented legal distrust amongst heirs’ property owners. This analysis has important implications for designing targeted interventions to assist heirs’ property owners beyond the South Carolina context

Desmanthus for silage

Introduction: Desmanthus is known as a pasture legume where its inclusion can increase animal performance. However, under a cropping scenario desmanthus can produce high yield of good quality forage (Mwangi et al. 2022). This study was initiated to determine if desmanthus could be preserved as silage. Materials and Methods: Progardes desmanthus, cultivars JCU 4, JCU 6 and JCU 9, were established in three irrigated 4 ha blocks in north Queensland (19°35’S 146°54’E) on 21/12/2021. The blocks were slashed and regrowth was mowed after 60 d on 12/4/22. Within 4 hours of mowing, cultivars were round baled and wrapped in 5 to 8 layers of white plastic film wrap. Bales were stored on their ends outside. On 14/9/22 two bales of each cultivar were unwrapped and presented to a group of 15 beef cows for 24 h for monitoring of feeding behaviour. Samples at ensiling and feed-out were analysed by NIR. Results: The dry matter (DM) at mowing was similar, but JCU 9 silage was drier than the other silages (Table 1) leading to more extensive moulding. The loss of water soluble carbohydrate (WSC) in all silages was matched by a reduction in pH and production of fermentation acids. All silages had a restricted heterotactic fermentation typical of round bale silage. Video monitoring revealed that cattle spent more time at cultivars JCU 4 and 6, possibly due to visibly less mounding in these bales. Conclusions: This preliminary study demonstrated that desmanthus can be ensiled. All three silages were of good nutritive value and satisfactory fermentation and should support good levels of animal production. The higher apparent presence of moulds in the drier JCU 9 silages suggests ensiling above ~ 50% DM increases moulding and reduces preference for the silage

Redefining manufacturing quality control in the electronics industry

Thesis (S.M.)--Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Sloan School of Management; and, (S.M.)--Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Dept. of Materials Science and Engineering; in conjunction with the Leaders for Manufacturing Program, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 2000.Also available online at the MIT Theses Online homepage .Includes bibliographical references (p. 103).The most time consuming and capital intensive portion in the assembly of power electronic devices is the test system. A comprehensive test system including functional and stress screening technologies can significantly increase assembly times and more than double the capital investment required in a new assembly line. The primary purpose of the test system is to screen components for early life failures and to verify proper assembly. Determination of key performance characteristics and the resultant test system are developed during the product design phase and are seldom revised after the product has been released to manufacturing. This thesis explores best practices in testing methods and develops new methods to analyze test system performance. Both efforts were conducted in an effort to optimize existing test regimes. Upon completion of the above analyses the existing test sequence was reduced by 50%. This was primarily due to a discovery in the Burn In test cycle which indicated that failures correlated strongly with the on/off cycles inherent in the test sequence. A new test cycle was proposed to accommodate this finding and test results verified the initial hypothesis. Additionally, the summary of best practices identified new forms of product testing including Highly Accelerated Stress Testing (HAST), moving additional product testing into the development phase consequently reducing testing requirements during assembly.by Maureen Fresquez Simington.S.M

Influence of Different Levels of Lipoic Acid Synthase Gene Expression on Diabetic Nephropathy

Oxidative stress is implicated in the pathogenesis of diabetic nephropathy (DN) but outcomes of many clinical trials are controversial. To define the role of antioxidants in kidney protection during the development of diabetic nephropathy, we have generated a novel genetic antioxidant mouse model with over- or under-expression of lipoic acid synthase gene (Lias). These models have been mated with Ins2Akita/+ mice, a type I diabetic mouse model. We compare the major pathologic changes and oxidative stress status in two new strains of the mice with controls. Our results show that Ins2Akita/+ mice with under-expressed Lias gene, exhibit higher oxidative stress and more severe DN features (albuminuria, glomerular basement membrane thickening and mesangial matrix expansion). In contrast, Ins2Akita/+ mice with highly-expressed Lias gene display lower oxidative stress and less DN pathologic changes. Our study demonstrates that strengthening endogenous antioxidant capacity could be an effective strategy for prevention and treatment of DN

The use of brief family counseling with middle school students experiencing discipline problems

The purpose of this study was to investigate the use of brief family counseling with middle school students experiencing discipline problems. Participants were 29 middle school students and their families. The study consisted of two experimental treatment groups and a control group. The Behavior Rating Profile-2 was administered pre-and post-treatment. The results are summarized below: 1 . Brief family counseling participants had significantly fewer suspensions than the brief individual and comparison treatment groups. 2. Brief family counseling participants had significantly fewer discipline referrrals than the brief individual and comparison treatment groups. 3. No differences were found between the pre-and post-treatment behavior ratings of students by parents in the brief family counseling group. 4. The control group received higher post-treatment behavior ratings by teachers than the brief family and individual counseling treatment groups. 5. No differences were found between the brief individual and family counseling groups on ratings of behavior by student participants

An evolving story of angiotensin-II-forming pathways in rodents and humans

Abstract Lessons learned from the characterization of the biological roles of Ang-(1-7) [angiotensin-(1-7)] in opposing the vasoconstrictor, proliferative and prothrombotic actions of AngII (angiotensin II) created an underpinning for a more comprehensive exploration of the multiple pathways by which the RAS (renin-angiotensin system) of blood and tissues regulates homoeostasis and its altered state in disease processes. The present review summarizes the progress that has been made in the novel exploration of intermediate shorter forms of angiotensinogen through the characterization of the expression and functions of the dodecapeptide Ang-(1-12) [angiotensin-(1-12)] in the cardiac production of AngII. The studies reveal significant differences in humans compared with rodents regarding the enzymatic pathway by which Ang-(1-12) undergoes metabolism. Highlights of the research include the demonstration of chymase-directed formation of AngII from Ang-(1-12) in human left atrial myocytes and left ventricular tissue, the presence of robust expression of Ang-(1-12) and chymase in the atrial appendage of subjects with resistant atrial fibrillation, and the preliminary observation of significantly higher Ang-(1-12) expression in human left atrial appendages

α-Lipoic acid protects mitochondrial enzymes and attenuates lipopolysaccharide-induced hypothermia in mice

Hypothermia is a key symptom of sepsis, but the mechanism(s) leading to hypothermia during sepsis is largely unknown and thus no effective therapy is available for hypothermia. Therefore, it is important to investigate the mechanisms and develop effective therapeutic methods. Lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced hypothermia accompanied by excess nitric oxide (NO) production, lead to a reduction in energy production in wild type mice. However, mice lacking inducible nitric oxide synthase did not suffer from LPS-induced hypothermia, suggesting that hypothermia is associated with excess NO production during sepsis. This observation is supported by the treatment of wild type mice with α-lipoic acid (LA) in that it effectively attenuates LPS-induced hypothermia with decreased NO production. We also found that LA partially restored ATP production, and activities of the mitochondrial enzymes involved in energy metabolism, which were inhibited during sepsis. These data suggest that hypothermia is related to mitochondrial dysfunction, which is likely compromised by excess NO production and that LA administration attenuates hypothermia mainly by protecting mitochondrial enzymes from NO damage

New insights into immunomodulation via overexpressing lipoic acid synthase as a therapeutic potential to reduce atherosclerosis

Atherosclerosis is a systemic chronic inflammatory disease. Many antioxidants including alpha-lipoic acid (LA), a product of lipoic acid synthase (Lias), have proven to be effective for treatment of this disease. However, the question remains whether LA regulates the immune response as a protective mechanism against atherosclerosis. We initially investigated whether enhanced endogenous antioxidant can retard the development of atherosclerosis via immunomodulation. To explore the impact of enhanced endogenous antioxidant on the retardation of atherosclerosis via immune regulation, our laboratory has recently created a double mutant mouse model, using apolipoprotein E-deficient (Apoe-/-) mice crossbred with mice overexpressing lipoic acid synthase gene (LiasH/H), designated as LiasH/HApoe-/- mice. Their littermates, Lias+/+Apoe-/- mice, served as a control. Distinct redox environments between the two strains of mice have been established and they can be used to facilitate identification of antioxidant targets in the immune response. At 6 months of age, LiasH/HApoe-/- mice had profoundly decreased atherosclerotic lesion size in the aortic sinus compared to their Lias+/+Apoe-/- littermates, accompanied by significantly enhanced numbers of regulatory T cells (Tregs) and anti-oxidized LDL autoantibody in the vascular system, and reduced T cell infiltrates in aortic walls. Our results represent a novel exploration into an environment with increased endogenous antioxidant and its ability to alleviate atherosclerosis, likely through regulation of the immune response. These outcomes shed light on a new therapeutic strategy using antioxidants to lessen atherosclerosis

China's crisis: the international implications

China has always been important to countries in the Asia/Pacific region, whether as a vortex of disarray and discontent or - as it has appeared to be, particularly over the last decade - as a modernising great Asian power. In this latter context, China was increasingly accepted as a responsible participant in regional and global affairs. Although China's military capabilities and its political ambitions were regarded with residual distrust by some neighbouring countries, such misgivings were increasingly overshadowed by expectations of a new China possessing the largest potential market remaining in the world today. The Tiananmen affair, as it is now known, seemed to shatter any assumptions about China's stability, its economic potential and certainly some of the illusions about China's political system. This unique collection of papers begins with an analysis of the political situation in China, as seen from Beijing and Canberra. It provides detailed assessments of the way in which countries throughout the Asia/Pacific region, including Australia, responded or did not respond. There is an overview on Hong Kong and its governability and extensive discussion on the strategic and economic implications, if any, for China and for neighbouring and regional states, of events in Beijing in June 1989